Ultimate Betrayal
by klcm
Summary: Kevin Lynch isn't who the BAU and especially Garcia think he is, now Garcia's in danger and Morgan gets the kick he needs to stop being a jackass
1. Voicemail

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds - I just dream!

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Looking down at the phone she saw the caller ID and knew he had to answer it.

'Derek!' She called out; she knew that if Penelope was calling him it was for good reason, even if they hadn't spoken properly in nearly a month. Tamara Barnes knew that one day Derek would dump her but she never knew the talk would come quite so quick but she was ready, she wasn't going to wallow, she'd never had Derek wholly anyway. Heck sitting here in his front room, she didn't truly know that talk was going to happen, she just felt something was off. 'Derek!' She called out again. 'Your phone's ringing.'

'Just cancel it.'

'But it's...'

'It can wait.' Derek told her as he left the kitchen with their drinks, Tamara did as he asked and cancelled the call before putting his phone onto the coffee table and turning to him.

'I want to end this Derek.... This isn't fair.'

'Funny, I was thinking the same.' He said with a coy smile, somewhat embarrassed even. He had had Penelope's words reverberating around his head more and more as the weeks progressed and now he had to trust her and that was one thing he did.

Tamara smiled. 'Friends?'

'Friends.'

'You gonna answer your phone now?' She asked him with a smile still on her lips.

'Work can wait.' Derek responded, he was not in the mood for work, he was not in the mood for more killings and more lost lives.

'It wasn't work, it was Penelope.' She told him and then his phone lit up to show he had a voicemail. 'At least get that Derek.' Derek sighed and leant forward, picking his phone up he did the routine and listened to Penelope's number get spoken back to him before the message began

***_Derek_*** Her voice was scared and feeble and thick tears***_I really need your help, Kevin... He, he, he's not who we think he is. I need your help_*** Her voice broke and Kevin's came into range ***_Penny! That's not what I told you to say! Gimme that phone!_*** The call ended with a gunshot and Derek heard Penelope gasp deeply.

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**_A/N:_** Dun Dun Dunnnnn! I'm horrible with cliff hangers me, but I won't apologise!! =P

Let me know what you think!! What you want! What you don't want! Although for some I could probably guess that bit!! =)


	2. Profiling The Ordinary

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds - I just dream a big dream!

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Derek could hear his name being called but he'd well and truly zoned out.

Penelope was shot, shot right there and then or so he was led to believe. He had nothing to go on.  
'9:22pm' he muttered and looked at the clock on the wall. '10:58pm... Shit.'

'Derek... What's wrong?' Tamara asked and watched as Derek sorted voicemail out and put loud speaker on. Tamara listened to Penelope near enough plead for safety and then she distinctively heard Kevin's voice and the aggression and she flinched and then she heard the gunshot and she froze, her sights set firmly on Derek. 'It might not be her that got hit.'

'But what if it was? She's been shot for nearly 2 hours.... That puts her in a bad way, shock sets in, blood loss... and she could die.' He said and sunk to the couch. 'I don't even know where he got her or whatever else he's done to her.'

'Derek, you need to calm down.' Tamara said as she saw Derek evident control on these types of situations slip. 'You need to call Hotch, you need to call the rest of the team and you need to get her back. You know who's got her; you just need to knock it down to where and why.'

'She said, he's not who we thought he was... that means he's been using her.' Derek swung and hit the wall. 'I could've prevented this from happening; I could've stopped her from ever going with him.'

'Then why didn't you?'

'Because I'm a jackass.' Derek said and turned and grabbed his phone. 'You're going to need to come with me, just in case I miss anything out.'

'Okay.' Tamara told him. 'Then when you get her back, tell her... stop being the jackass.' She then watched him ring his boss and grab his stuff, so she followed suit and then ran after him out the door.

Sitting in the conference room, she watched as Hotch, Derek, Emily and JJ rallied around and got everything they needed, she knew they'd have to hear the voicemail again and then they'd start to knuckle down and crack it the best they could. When Reid and Rossi made it, Derek did the same routine and put the message on speaker, again she listened and watched Derek's face as they heard Penelope's voice filtered into the quiet air and then they heard Kevin, and then the gunshot rang out.

'Is she hit?' Emily asked rhetorically. 'Cos surely we can't just jump to, she'd been shot.'

'That wasn't a gasp of shock that she's watched someone get shot, that was different.' Hotch told them and they knew from when Hailey was shot, the type of gasp that they heard. 'We need IA, and tech's to get into Lynch's and Penelope's computers.'

'Hotch; you can't think she had something to do with it surely?' Derek asked agitated that they didn't have anything to go on.

'No I'm not, what I'm saying is that Penelope obviously found out what Lynch was doing so he feels he has to get rid of her. Therefore her computer system's going to have a trail that leads us to whatever he was up to.'

'Sir, I'm going to check all surrounding hospitals, get a bolo out on Pen and see if anyone matching her has been admitted with a gunshot wound.'

'Good job JJ, someone help her do that.' Hotch said and began to pace, he needed Strauss in on this, he needed techs, he needed corresponding SWAT, he needed to be ready for whatever they uncovered in the process.

'I'll sort Strauss out.' Rossi said sensing Hotch's obvious thought mode. 'I'll alert her to a missing agent, tell her what we know, and I'll get as much information on Kevin Lynch as she can give me.' He then left the room hastily.

'I'll go and sort techs out; I'll keep the updates coming.' Reid said and left the room after Rossi, he'd plan to try and keep things moving, he was used to getting things done and discovered at lightning speed. Now he was going for whatever speed the tech pool had to offer and he was going to push and push until he was satisfied they were getting nearer to what the problem was.

'Right so right now, in the near enough 2 years Penelope's been dating Lynch, what do we know about him?'

'He's immature.'

'Plays it up?' Everyone looked from Derek to Emily. 'I mean, it was a facade, to make us think that he was miles below the ability that Garcia holds. When really he was planning this, learning off us, learning of Pen.'

'So in all that time, he had a plan.' Derek said and his tone darkened. 'He saw the opportunity in Pen, the moment he knew she was the tech that got shot.' He saw Tamara flinch next to her; he hadn't shared that moment of his life with her. 'He knew she'd be weak, and vulnerable and manipulative.'

'Hang on! No! This can't be Lynch, 2 years is too long, he would've slipped up in that time somewhere, he had to.' Emily said with thick disbelief. 'We would've picked up on his odd behaviour, we would've noticed.'

'Not if this wasn't his first time and plus, how many times have we really gone out with him?'

'Hotch he has a point, he always had plans, or kept Pen from us.'

'How about when he's been in the bullpen?'

'He acted like the besotted boyfriend.' Derek said with intent, he hated those images of the pair of them. 'He was nothing but friendly, he didn't do anything out of the ordinary.'

'Exactly, he did nothing out of the ordinary... there was nothing to suspect, he knew full well what he was doing, we've had our own unsub under our mitts all along and we've ignored it.'

'Guys.' JJ said entering the room defeated. 'No hospitals have had a woman matching Penelope's description, they're keeping an eye out but there's nothing.'

'So if she's been shot, and we go by the call, she's been shot nearly 4 hours.' Hotch spoke allowed and began to pace again, his cell started to go and he quickly looked at it. 'Speaker now... its Garcia's number.'

Everyone looked as Hotch answered the call and placed the phone down. 'Hotchner.'

They heard heavy breathing. 'Sir...' Penelope's voice came out; they all heard she was hurt and scared. 'Sir...' She repeated.

'Penelope, are you hurt?'

'Doesn't matter, I'm near river.' There was a break, a gritting of pain, hollowing of breathing. 'Derek knows the one, he found me there after Battle.'

'Penelope, how hurt are you?'

'The warehouses, the ones I said were out of place.' They heard her breathing pick up. 'I need you to get here quickly.'

'Penelope, I won't asked again, how hurt are you?'

'He shot me.'

'Penelope, I need you to listen.' Hotch said as Reid told them the tech was tracing the call. 'Where is Lynch?'

'Penny!' Came Kevin's voice, all of a sudden they realised it was completely different, only the undertone was noticeable. 'There you are! You shot me you bitch!' They heard Penelope whimper as he dragged her and the phone dropped. 'You think they're going to save you from this?' They then heard a loud snap and Penelope screamed out in pain. 'Well they're not here Penny!'

'Derek where's the place?' Hotch asked and saw Derek sit dazed. 'Where Derek?'

'It's a lot further down the Potomac River... there's warehouses and factories there.' He said, his mind still swimming, Penelope was really hurt and she was getting hurt as they sat and listened.

'Doesn't look like you're going anywhere now Penny!' Kevin's voice said and the line went dead.


	3. Working For The Bad Guys

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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Reid having gone back to Penelope's office had missed the rest of the phone call, he just knew he needed to get a tech on the call and fast and get the location. He watched the tech type vigorously, urging them to go faster and then he watched one send on the location of where they were. He continued to decode and take apart as much of the information as he could and he was succeeding.

'Reid we need to go, we have a location and we need as much help as we can get.' Hotch said as he stood in the doorway as Reid continued to work through.

Reid nodded, leaving the paperwork and followed him out. 'Garcia found that he was siphoning off information as cases went on, she'd up her game to hide the information.'

'So what, he was helping our Unsubs?'

'Selling it online, he had no direct contact with them but he was out for helping the bad guys. Literally he was helping them get one step in front of us, until of course, we didn't use things to run stuff by Garcia, and then he had no leads. It was like Garcia was the perfect central ground for him to get what he wanted.' Reid told Hotch in his usual quick ramble. 'She is okay right?'

'I'm not going to lie, she isn't, that's why we've got to run, jump in an SUV and go.' Hotch told him and Reid just nodded his understanding. Once in the SUV he was handed a body suit and knew business was on more so than ever.

When they arrived they looked at the multiple buildings in front of them, all confused, they all separated and stalked the ground and surrounding area. One by one they made it in, Reid looked around before heading in but felt the burn of a bullet shoot through his leg, he fell and looked in the direct it had to have come from.

'We have a shooter!' He said into the radio and everyone stalked back outside. They looked at Reid grip his leg and he pointed to the warehouse that JJ was by, everyone then ran for it as a new rain of bullets began, then just like it started it stopped.

Derek wasted no time in pushing the iron door open, Hotch scoped the room, his eyes and gun staring as one in preparation. He motioned them in and they all spilled into the open space, in the corners were different shapes and sized blood markings, drag marks making it to the shadows.

Derek did nothing but scan the room for Penelope, he found her lifeless body and his heart nearly sank. Hotch having seen her too edged towards her, Derek shadowing, the others and random SWAT making sure all areas were covered efficiently.

'Ah BAU's finest are here.' Kevin said stepping out from the shadows and stood next to Penelope, his hands behind him. 'I got Reid it seems.' He said and pulled a gun out to fire a random shot near Emily before pulling a second gun and keeping it aimed on Penelope. 'You shoot, I shoot.' He told them and saw all of their shoulders slump slightly. 'Oh she's not dead, near it but not yet.'

'Kevin, what have you done?'

'I needed to get rid of my problem.' Kevin told them almost sadistically, his tone was all wrong, in the 2 years they'd all known him, he was nothing but the sweet, kind man that loved Penelope.

Derek's mood darkened again, Penelope a problem? She was anything but that. 'Kevin we could all take a shot here.' He near enough growled at her and Kevin's eyes stuck on Derek more.

'Ah Agent Morgan, you going to let her die too? Now put the guns down and no one gets anymore hurt.'

'It's obvious we can't trust you Lynch... What is you want exactly?'

Kevin laughed. 'Simple. Destruction of the BAU's best! It was easy once I was in, once I had a job, once I had my perfect window.' He said and pointed the gun down at Penelope a bit more.

'So taking Penelope out, that's part of the plan?'

'She found out what I was doing, if she'd just given up loving him...' He pointed the gun more on Derek. 'Then she wouldn't have worked harder and wouldn't have had more time on her hands when he just shut her off. She had the time to see little things that weren't quite right with the system, things that I'd obviously left. Things I didn't realise she'd actually look for.' The team couldn't help but smirk, he'd been with Penelope for 2 years and he still didn't know her at all, still underestimated what she was capable of when it came to her job and the team.

'Lynch, why Garcia? Why did you choose her?'

'You don't even call her by her first name its always last names for you isn't that seems a bit mean considering you're a 'family' right?' Lynch mocked and smiled, even that was different to them all now.. 'She was weak after that shooting, easy and manipulative. She wanted to feel alive, feel the love of a man that wasn't going to kill her or break her heart, I could do that and get what I wanted, all at once. You know the saying, two bids one stone... that's me.'

'You lied to her for 2 years.'

Kevin readied the gun. 'Best 2 years of work in my life.' He told them and went for the trigger but not before Hotch and Derek shoot from their guns.

Derek ran the moment he saw lynch hit the ground, he kicked the guns away, seeing that he wasn't as dead as he wanted him to be, and got next to Penelope, she was his concern. Looking at her, he initially panicked. Feeling for a pulse, he felt its weak rhythm through the cool skin on her wrist, and Penelope's eyes began to open slowly. 'That's it baby girl... open them and look at me.'

'D-Derek?' She said as she was rolled onto her back and the pains from both her chest and leg ricocheted through entire body.

'I'm here sweetness...' He said taking off his bullet proof vest so he could use his jumper to staunch the slow ooze of blood coming from her chest. He watched her close her eyes again and even with him and Hotch it was proving difficult to keep her awake but she did try her hardest.

It was then as Derek got pulled away so the EMT's could treat that Tamara's words played round and round in his head _'__Then when you get her back, tell her...__stop being the jackass'_, and then as he looked over at Penelope he knew he had to stop riding on fear, because fear upped the chances of losing out, fear got in the way of grasping what you wanted and fear would only keep getting stronger.


	4. Run With Fear

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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It'd been nearly 13 hours since they had seen Penelope last, they were all crawling the walls, they knew she was out of surgery, they knew she was stable, but seeing as none of them were family they weren't allowed into her until she came too. Whenever that was.

Derek was beyond angered that Kevin was at the same hospital, and really the guards at the room were more to keep them out than to keep him from getting out.

'If only we'd got him closer to an artery or organ.' Derek muttered incoherently, he needed to see his baby girl, needed to see she was alive. 'We told him she doesn't have family, we are it, so why won't he let us down there?'

'Because we aren't conventional.' Rossi said and paced. 'Maybe Reid could use the visit?'

'I'm not leaving.' Derek said firmly and sat back. All he knew was that Penelope had taken a bullet to the chest, had her leg broken and she had a concussion, he wanted to see for himself that she wasn't worse and that his imagination was making up injuries and problems she didn't really have.

He hadn't realise everyone disappear and Hotch come back, until the man was nearly stepping on him. He looked up and Hotch motioned for him to follow. 'I'm not going to Reid; someone needs to wait for Pen.'

'We're going to Penelope now, the nurses over there is here to take us to her.'

'For real?'

'For real Derek.' Hotch said making it a point to use first names, if Lynch told them anything it was that they had a tech that fought fire with fire behind closed doors and that they were hardly a family if they went around using surnames to call one another.

The nurse smiled at them, before turning and leading them further into the ICU unit, she stopped at an area. 'She's going to be exhausted from the blood loss and aesthetics but she's awake and her vitals are all stable.' She reassured them before urging them to go in.

Walking in Penelope looked from the spot on the ceiling to the two men that probably meant more to her than anyone else she knew. 'Tell me you got the bastard please?' She asked them voice asked out pained and raspy.

'We got the bastard.' The two said together and they stepped in closer.

'How you feeling baby girl?' He put his hand on hers and she flinched at the touch, he knew he'd pushed her out, even neglected her but this was the start so he left his hand then and threaded his fingers through hers.

'Like I took a bullet to the chest.' She said with a near ghostly smile, she saw they weren't in the mood for playfulness, their faces just remained etched feature to feature with concern. 'My chest feels like it's on fire, my leg is killing me and I'm more livid than upset right now.'

'Just how long have you known about what he's been up to?'

'Since Foyet.' She said and moved her hands under her to get her up the bed a bit more. 'He's the reason we couldn't find Foyet.'

'Why didn't you come to me?' Hotch said and then pulled back. He'd hardly listened to her unless she had something he wanted. At the time of Foyet, he wasn't for being held back and told; he wanted things when he wanted them, not when someone else had them for him.

'There was never the opportunity, so I virus riddled the website, and the next and the next and I'm sure you get the idea.' Penelope said tiredly, putting a hand to her head. Feeling the cut she remembered being thrown around in Kevin's place to warrant it. 'Something Kevin said the other day kind of gave him up, so I got everything I had and put it in an envelope ready for you, but I guess he got me before I could get to you or a post box.'

'How did find he out?'

'A couple of times, he just burst into my office, I thought he'd seen what was on my screen but he acted like he didn't, he'd tried to slip me up a couple of times but I guess he was tailing me, while I tailed him.'

'How did you find out he was doing this?'

'Within the databases I use, mainly the ones I store what you do, as and when you do it, I noticed links coming off it, feeds going off into area's there shouldn't be any so I followed them and found the websites Kevin had set up.'

'You should've told me.' Penelope looked at Derek a little disbelieving.

'None of us have been exactly helping one another much lately, we didn't have enough for conviction so I was building your case for you, then I was going to hand it all over and sit back and watch the bastard rot.'

'If we haven't been helping one another lately, why did you call me?' Derek asked sensing her problem was more with him than anyone else.

'I wanted you the most and he made me call you.' Penelope gulped deeply then, closing her eyes as she did so. 'Kevin's always been jealous of us, the way we speak to one another, the way we act, so the moment you just dropped out of my life and I just did things to pass time, like look into faults with the bureaus computer system he started to get angry that I'd just replaced you with more aimless things. He saw it as your fault for getting caught out.'

Derek sucked in a breath but felt Penelope's hand cover his. 'Hotch can we have a moment.'

'Sure.' Hotch said and stepped into the hall leaving the two of them.

'All I can say is that I'm sorry for you being here, and I'm sorry for dropping out of your life but I got consumed and I'm sorry.'

'It's okay, life.' Penelope shrugged slightly. 'It happens, people come and go.' She continued like it didn't really matter and Derek felt his hidden fear grow, consuming him, it was too late now.

'I want to make this right.' He said beating around the bush.

'Let me ask one thing, what happened with you and Tamara?'

'We ended it; she's been helping us find you.' Penelope's eyebrows furrowed with confusion. 'She was there when I got the voicemail, we were finishing whatever we were and she kind of gave me a mental slap to step into the game.'

'Well I'm glad you did.'

'Can't have my baby girl being hurt now can I?' He joked and she smiled and shook her head. 'You getting tired?'

'Just a little bit.'

'Well then get some sleep goddess; we'll all be here when you wake up.'

'Just get everyone home, I can't have everyone complaining of stiff necks and dropping like flies from lack of sleep.'

'Because you asked so nicely, I'll round erm all up and we'll head off.' Derek said and kissed her forehead before straightening up, his hand still in hers. 'You need anything, call me.'

'I will.' He then left her, telling Hotch the plan they went to Reid's room.

'You should all quieten down more... much too loud for a hospital.' Hotch said stepping in. 'We have orders from our tech to get home and get some rest.'

'So she's okay?'

'You've seen her!'

'We have, she's tired, and in pain but she probably just did our jobs for Lynch's case, she doesn't know Spencer's been shot but she wants us home now.'

'And what if we don't?'

'The amount of ways she knows to destroy you, I wouldn't go there.' Derek joked and they all agreed and soon left Reid with some peace.

All going to their respective homes except Hotch, who went to Penelope's and Derek who wanted to go there but decided he needed to listen.

Walking up his path his saw Tamara who immediately stood up and put her hands on her hips. 'You didn't tell her or it's bad news. The look on your face shows me it's not the latter.'

'She's not out of the woods but she's nearer the edge than she was earlier.'

'So you bottled it.'

'It's not so easy.'

'Derek, she was there, if you love her, you'll tell her and I know you love her so why didn't you?'

'Because seeing her in that hospital bed brought back to me what started the whole Kevin thing, she got shot the last time and met him, fell in love and now look, she lost me too.'

'Well she can get you back, maybe not Kevin but you're sure as hell still around, so when you go back to her tell her.' She looked at Derek's face. 'Fine, leave it but you tell her when you get her home. Which I think would be wise to make it here, I know you Derek, you'll want to look after her more than any of the others so do it here and tell her here.'

'Shouldn't there be some hostility between us? I mean we just broke up.'

'Broke up from what really? Over a month long fling, I saw you a grand total of 14 times in the course of nearly 36 days Derek... friends.' She said with a smile. 'Now you going to listen to me?'

'I'll try.'

'You better, if you don't I'll just tell her for you.' Tamara said and walked away with a satisfied grin on her face, leaving Derek completely dumbfounded.


	5. Interrupted Tellings

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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'D-Derek' Penelope's voice echoed in his sleep and he was back in that warehouse, Penelope was still on cold floor, unmoving, lifeless. This time though when he got next to her and him and Hotch rolled her to her back, she screamed out louder than she had with pain before the bullet wound began to pour incessantly with blood and soon he found his jumper soaked and Penelope dying under his hands.

The thing he couldn't understand was that EMT's were on standby outside that day he could've sworn but now they were nowhere to be seen.

'D-Derek.' He heard her repeat and the next thing he knew he was sitting awake in his room, the cool darkness of familiarity coating him.

Taking that as a final straw he got up and quickly got changed, putting food out for Clooney he near enough ran to his SUV. Starting the engine it was only now the clock took his attention: 3:21am. Not caring he headed for the hospital, walking through the corridors and to Penelope's room he felt a hand grab his.

'Can I help you? A petite nurse asked as he stopped and turned to the nurse's station

'Yeah, I'm here to see Penelope Garcia.'

'Oh.' She said, not expecting a visitor at this time.

He saw her expression change and he panicked. 'What's wrong? What's happened to her?'

'She's just been brought back up from surgery.'

Derek felt the air get knocked out of him again. 'What do you mean again? I thought she was okay?'

'There was damage to her lung, it was more extensive than first appeared, she started to have problems breathing around 9:40 last night and the doctor rushed her straight in.'

'Why was no one called?'

'She doesn't have family listed on her list, we don't notify just friends.'

'Well maybe you should make a note that I always get a phone call if things go wrong.'

'What's your relation?'

'Fiancé.' He said and pulled the ring out of his pocket, the nurse stared at the delicate ring.

'I'll make sure it gets changed.' She told him and he smiled, his features softened. 'Go into her, we're going to need to give her some more meds but she's awake.' Derek nodded and finished the walk to Penelope's doorway, he walked in and saw her eyes were closed, until he was more into the room and her eyes shot open and she looked at him.

'Hey baby girl.'

He watched her slowly raise her hand and pull off the oxygen mask. 'Hey hot stuff.' She said quietly and smiled at him.

'I hear you had a bad turn?' He watched her nod her head almost groggily, so he sat on the bed. 'I wish I hadn't left.'

'We didn't know it'd happen.' She looked out of the window and then looked back grabbing his watch to look at the time. 'What are you doing here?'

'I had a nightmare; I couldn't stay away any more.' He admitted to her and then took her hand. 'I need to talk to you.'

'Can it not wait?' She asked him slowly. 'I'm not all with it.'

'Just know that...' He was interrupted as the nurse bustled in and did her round of checking Penelope over and giving her the meds she needed before leaving. Derek sat watching Penelope as the sleep got heavier and heavier, he waited for the nurse to leave before he kissed her. 'Know that I'll always be here.'

Penelope nodded and took the sleep completely, she knew that wasn't what he wanted to say but there wasn't much she could do about it now. Derek having seeing her take her sleep, looked at the chair next to the bed, and went and pulled it closer, taking Penelope's hand in his, he tried to get some sleep.

He'd just bottled it again, mentally kicking himself he thought about all the times he'd have a chance to tell her in the days, weeks, even months but he wouldn't leave it that long, he couldn't.

He, also, knew full well if he didn't say anything Tamara would, she was that type of woman, but this wasn't her call to make, it was his and he just needed to remember that. As sleep cascaded his head, he knew that he was going to have nightmares again; the sight of Penelope hurt was going to be forever burnt to his eyelids.


	6. Letting It All Out

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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The next day Penelope hardly saw any of, but Derek saw it all, his whole day revolved around Penelope and everything she was doing. He watched intently as her chest rose and fell with each now inhale and exhale. That slight movement told him she was alive, that Lynch had well and truly lost. At one point during the night, a little after he'd watch Penelope succumb to whatever meds were filling her blood stream; he'd taken a short walk to see Kevin, looking in he couldn't be satisfied with the look.

Although he was hooked up to life support Derek couldn't help but feel that the third bullet should've taken the life right out of his body. He was happy to know that the gunshot he'd heard on the phone was Penelope getting a shot in, her gasp had been him turning a gun on her which subsequently led to her being shot. The second bullet was from Hotch, a through and through to the shoulder and the final bullet that wedged itself in Lynch's lung was from Derek's gun.

'Can I help you Agent Morgan?' One of the officers said as he stood next to Derek.

'No.'

'It doesn't look good for him at the moment, but as soon as he's okay, he's being shipped straight off, he'll never see the light of day again.'

'Word got around quickly?'

'Nothing stays secret in this job.' Derek nodded at him and turned away. 'You look like you could do with some rest.'

'Yeah, just heading back now, I had to come here.' The officer nodded and then Derek took the walk back, on entering all that consumed him was the sight of Penelope, the noises of the machines and the fear that continually ate at him.

The same three things greeted him when he woke up when day light broke. He sucked in a breath as he stretched and immediately the tension of the day before registered with him. His muscles were locked, he was sore and his head still swam with the day's events.

'Morgan?' Hotch said shocked as he entered the room a little while later. 'How long you been here?'

'Since about 4ish this morning.' He saw his boss' face. 'I had a... I couldn't sleep and I came in and I'm glad I did.'

Hotch's face contorted with almost anger at what was about to come, worry that it was Kevin related. 'Why? What happened?'

'I got here and a nurse stopped me, apparently there was damage to Pen's lung that hadn't seemed problematic and she took a turn for the worse and they had to rush her back to surgery.'

'Why weren't we called?'

'We're classed as friends, not family. Now the nurse thinks Pen's my fiancée.' Derek didn't miss the small and minimal grin on Hotch's face.

'How did they believe that?'

'Because of this.' He answered back and passed over the ring he had in his hand, the one that he'd just been aimlessly twiddling with since he'd woken up.

'Derek... this... it's an engagement ring.'

'I know.'

'Well why do you have it?'

'Because I'm a crazy-non-noticing-stubborn-arsed-jackass that's why.'

'Okay, well how long have you had it?'

'3 years.' He said and leant forward, running his hands over his head, he then looked back up at Hotch and saw his boss' expression. 'See like I said, crazy non-noticing stubborn arsed jackass.'

'I'd take the non-noticing out of that Derek and just put in blind and hard headed, why'd you get it?'

'Because the moment I heard 'Garcia's been shot' on that voicemail my whole world crashed and burned. I'd never noticed Pen like the woman I'd loved but at that moment as I sat in my car that's all I felt and to know that I was praying while my best friend's on the table fighting for her life something just kinder of kicked in and a free moment I had between getting out of work and going to the hospital I had to get it.

I told her once that I loved her, can you believe it? I actually told her I loved her and she returned it but she got Lynch and I wasn't the interest. It just made me chuck the ring in a box. I'd lost her, I wasn't made for her, I'm not sure I'm even made for anyone but this time I'm not going to let it slip away.'

'You seem positive there Derek, just don't bottle it, she needs you more than ever so don't mess her around when you think you can't do it, you bust down doors and charge in when psychopath's are running loose but you can't let her into your heart.'

'That's the thing, she's always been in my heart... it just took almost losing her to realise it.'

'So you've loved out resident tech and you just watched her waltz around with Kevin Lynch, I mean come on Derek, you can have the pick of the girls, why didn't you just tell her?'

'Cause she was happy Hotch, she was nothing but happy. Every time I saw her she was happy and bubbly and she always had a smile.' He looked at Hotch in the eye. 'I just hadn't noticed her for the last month or so; I got so caught up in the job that I just didn't see anything but the job and I royally screwed up.'

'Doesn't look that way, she didn't have to call you. Even she could have got Lynch to let her call one of us, and plus, she said she wanted you. That in itself says a lot Derek. Actions speak volumes sometimes.'

'How she gonna get over what Lynch did though? I mean he used her, abused her trust and love.'

'I think she gave out on loving him a long time ago, she used him to play him at his own game. Fought fire with fire.' He said adamantly, his body language satisfied almost impressed. 'She's being perceived as the lowly tech, she needs agent status for this.'

'Agent? You mean she's gonna get a promotion?'

'I think she deserves one don't you think?' Hotch asked Derek with evident thought to his tone; he was definitely making a hard decision. 'Look what she does for us and she's constantly named just a tech but she isn't is she? She's our hero on cases and seriously undermined, I want it changed.'

'Want what changed?' Penelope's voice rang out groggy as she placed a hand to her head and breathed slowly.

'Hey look who wakes up.' Hotch said and noticed how vigilant Derek had come to her every action.

'Hey Baby Girl, how you feeling?' He asked her and felt like a broken record, and he was nervous, his palms were sweaty and he was plucking at air to muster up conversation.

'I hate anaesthesia.' She said closing her eyes and breathing as deep as her wounds would allow her. 'And that sure as hell ain't gonna get any more comfier.' She said pointing to her leg as it remained suspended up to allow minimal pressure. 'I'm feeling grouchy.'

The two men laughed, even through it all she was still Penelope, nothing had changed that and nothing would. 'Well how can we stop the grouchiness?'

'Get me out of here, or knock me out.' She said as she subconsciously inspected her wounds with her hands. 'I'm in a moany mood so yeah put me out of my misery.'

Again they laughed. 'You in pain?'

'It's throbbing back in, at the moment its coming back and forth.' She rolled her eyes as she tried everything to help clear some of the fog from her head.

Hotch and Derek watched Penelope's little actions as she tried everything to drive the fog from her mind. Grabbing the jug of water on the table, Derek poured her a drink and put a straw in the cup.  
'Here drink of this.' he told her and put the straw to her lips.

Drinking longingly before stopping Penelope allowed the liquid to soothe her dry throat. 'Thanks handsome.'

'No problem Baby Girl.' He said and naturally as he put the drink down his other hand ran through her hair and then settled. 'Anything you need?'

'I don't know just yet but I'm sure I get no say in the drugs department.' She commented just as the nurse walked in bubbly and gave Penelope the necessary medication she needed.

Leaving the room, Penelope felt the fog taking back over and took it, falling back to sleep. Derek and Hotch just took their seats again and got comfortable.

That's how Derek spent his day, just looking after his baby girl.


	7. Wasted Too Much Time Already

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

* * *

'Get me out of here.' Penelope pleaded as the week length stay rounded off and was still bed ridden because of her leg. 'He had to go and break my leg didn't he?' She muttered her tone beyond frustrated, from the state of her leg they knew that Penelope would be cast bound more than the usual type of break.

Having Lynch step on her leg had not only snapped the bone but caused multiple other snapped, fractured and splintered pieces of bone. He was really out to immobilise her. 'Thank God he only trod on one leg.' Penelope sighed as she sank back down into the pillows behind her, she knew Kevin was near her, in the one building, on the same floor but she was never alone long enough to worry about him, he was in her past and that she was protected from by her family.

'You don't seem to be getting into a better mood lately Pen.' Derek said as he sat on the bed next to her, he was worrying about her, she was still her but her mood was lightening any and it didn't help him get out what he wanted to. Not only that but he didn't have a free moment with he; he didn't have the time to just talk to her.

'We're going to go get food.' Hotch said knowing that the team had stuck around because of the need they wanted to see Penelope. He'd tried several times to get them to leave; even Reid who used the 'need to rest' card every time, in the end Derek had told him to give up. Now they all agreed and left and Hotch shot Derek a quick glimpse and a nod.

'What's up?'

'Nothing.'

'Yeah, course I'm gonna buy that one right?'

'Well maybe you should.' She snapped at him and immediately felt bad. 'I'm sorry; I guess I'm not processing everything how I usually do and it's just bothering me.'

'Wanna offload?'

'I don't know.'

'Okay, I'll be here when you're ready.' He said and slipped off the bed and onto the chair but as his hand slipped off Penelope grabbed it. 'Baby girl?' He asked as he looked at her and saw her eyes turn glassy; he resumed his spot and took her hand in his. 'Come on...'

'How pathetic do I sound? I kept Kevin, all the time I knew what he was up to.' Derek rubbed a circle into her hand as he listened. 'I could've ratted him out but all the time I didn't because I didn't want to be alone.'

'Aw sweetness, that's not true, you've never been alone.'

'I've felt lonely since you took the position of acting unit chief.' She confessed. 'I hated you for taking away everything that made us Morgan and Garcia, I actually forgot that you were in a job that required nothing but professional behaviour and I hated you for cutting me out but Kevin was still playing his act so we just continued to live in the world of charades because I thought that after nearly 3 years he truly did love me.'

'He had to, to stick in it for so long baby.' He said and wiped away the stray tear as it made a line down her face. 'But maybe it's time you know something.' Penelope's head cocked at him at that point, what more was there to say? 'I was happy with the job because it distracted me from you, just like Tamara did; she was a distraction, something to make you jealous of.'

'Well that you did.'

'Oh I know and I'm not impressed with myself for handling it like that but I could've had you from the word go but that's how I handle every woman that come into my life, I suck them in with the charm and when I'm satisfied I throw them out, but you, you came along and I charmed you but I didn't suck you in and you're the first woman to get through my defences and truly touch my heart.

You're the only woman that breaks my walls, the walls might I say I work long and hard to build up, but you come along and crack them all and they shatter and I'm me, Derek Morgan, the man with a past but the man that's been in love with his best friend.'

Penelope pushed herself up then the best she could, taking her hand out of his, separating their bodies, confusion filling her. 'I might not have successfully sucked you in on our first moment but you sure as hell had me sucked in and I ran from that feeling, and I still was until you were shot, then I hit a realisation but Lynch came along and then this happened and I got a second realisation, the wind taken from me at the thought of losing you.'

'What are you trying to say Derek?' Penelope asked evidently stunned by what he was talking about.

'What I'm trying to say is that I'm in love you Pen, I'm in love with my baby girl.'

'Oh God.' Penelope said as more tears marred her freshly dried cheeks, she didn't know how to process anything right now. Things were just bouncing off one another and this, this made the biggest of elephants that had always been around when this topic ever enter her mind grow to a suffocating size. She'd kind of resigned herself to make her love of Derek a taboo subject, one that she'd avoid because of how he was with women.

'What?' Derek asked panicking. 'What's wrong?'

'You love me?'

'Stupidly enough to have gotten this.' He said and pulled it back out, empty handed, he knew she knew from her face.

'I can't even run from this.' Penelope muttered her wildest dream was just coming true.

'Run? If you don't feel the same then I understand and I'll never mention it again, even let you move on.'

'No! I can't run from this now, I need to stop doing that.' Penelope said, almost too fast. 'I love you too, in love with you even.' She blurted out and sunk down onto her chair.

'I've got something to show you and I really am just going to say crazy.'

'Well come on my Adonis, bring it on.' With a deep inhalation Derek reached for his pocket and pulled the ring out and put it towards her. 'Is...' She paused as she inspected the ring from afar. 'That's an engagement ring!' She proclaimed as her eyes set dead certain on it. 'Derek...'

'With my first realisation came the want for you to be mine, so I bought it. 3 years.' He said and put the ring to his eye level and twiddled with it. 'When you met Kevin, I threw it in a box and tried to forget about but I couldn't.'

'That was for me?'

'Always will be.' He commented.

'You really did mean it.' Penelope stated as her eyes blurred and the tears began to fall. 'Fuck my life.' She said frustrated and hit down on the bed only to start a vibration of pain from her chest, she bit down and pressed into the bed and Derek shot up.

'Pen... what's wrong?'

'My chest, shit, I shouldn't have done that.' She said as the pain settled and she looked at him. 'I'm so sorry.'

'For what?'

'You won't ever believe that I love you now.'

'Course I will, why would you think that?'

'One person, Kevin Lynch is why.'

'Tell me again Baby.' He told her calmly and rubbed her arm with his hand, the ring in visibility of her, as though it was a prompter.

'I'm...' She gulped. 'In love with you handsome, always have been and Christ bound to always be and nothing and no one's going to change that fact.' She watched him smile. 'Everything about you makes me want you more and more and I don't care what people think, I just need you to know that I love you.'

'We could've been married by now Goddess.'

'Shame.' She said almost remorsefully if not entirely regretful. 'I like that vision Hot Stuff.'

'Me too.' He told her and slipped the ring on her finger. 'So what do you say... be my wife? Let me love you how no man ever will. Forever.'

'Derek...' She started, it was sudden, they hadn't dated, they hadn't long professed undying love but as she looked into Derek's eyes and all she saw was truth and honesty and desire sitting with lust she realised that in all the years she'd know Derek, she'd dated him several times. The meals and cinema trips, the holding of hands, the cuddling on film nights, it was all there in the making, so she took a deep breath. 'Yes.'


	8. Getting The Closure To Move On

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

* * *

Remind me to never get shot.' Derek said as he helped Penelope up out of the bed. She was finally getting to go home, her leg in a proper cast now, her own clothes on her at last and she was nothing but smiles.

Sitting on the edge of the bed as comfortable as she could get it, Penelope refused a jacket, it was summer after all and she'd missed nearly 12 days of being crammed up in a stark white room, on a hard bed, she wanted to feel the heat as he brushed with her skin and she was going to get it.

'So my bottoms and a best top is all you want on?'

'Bottoms are baggy and don't catch on this lump of meh, and its hot out, you said so and I want to feel it.' Penelope said and smiled sweetly, that smile told Derek that he wasn't going to win this. 'Can I ask you something?' Penelope asked as she played subconsciously with the ring on her finger.

'Course you can Baby Girl.'

'Can we go past Kevin's room?'

'Pen...'

'For closure, I need to look at him and know I'm looking at him with the truth out in the air, that I can look at him and tell myself that it's you I love, not him, that he plays no hold over me at all.'

'I don't want you getting upset.' Derek said crouching in front of her. 'You don't need the stress at the moment.'

Penelope smiled, Derek Morgan was really all out to care for her, she'd heard he had punched a few walls when she was first rushed in, heard he'd cried a little and left the group to 'get some air' but now she was on the receiving end and she loved it. 'I know I don't but I do have you there, the moment my stress level even bubbles you can pull me away.'

'That I will be doing.' He told her with a grin. 'Now Rossi's taken the stuff to the car, all we have to do is get your discharge papers signed and that IV out of you and you're homeward bound.'

'Mmm, that sounds blissful.'

'Home is with me though baby girl.'

'I know, and to be honest nothing sounds better to me.'

'We need to discuss your apartment though, like if you want to keep it or what not.'

'I don't want to keep it; it has to many bad memories.' She said and placed a hand to her chest to apply pressure as she stood and moved off the bed. 'Right I heard something about discharge papers.'

Derek kissed her on the lips before rushing out of the room, the nurse soon followed him back in and allowed Penelope to sign herself before taking the IV out and then left, literally bidding Penelope a farewell and good recovery.

'Let's go then Mamma.'

'Well wait you need to be word appropriate.' She said as she saw Rossi coming back in. 'Let's roll Mamma is more fitting.' She said as she saw the wheelchair being pushed by Rossi and Derek laughed.

'Come Silly Girl, let's get you to hobble over to that and get you out of here.' He said as Penelope stood up, her hand back on her wound on her chest, Derek's arm around her, her other hand holding his. 'You're doing great.' He encouraged as he saw her jaw tense with pain. He then got her seated and did one last sweep of the room before grabbing the bunch of flowers that were on the table and followed them out. 'Lynch's room Rossi.'

'How come?'

'I want closure.' Penelope told him as he began to push the wheelchair out of the room, Rossi nodded and led her out and towards Lynch's room, getting there they were acknowledged by the officer on guard and then Derek helped Penelope stand up. Her and tightened on his as she looked Kevin laying in the bed. She held her breath as his head turned and looked at her, their eyes met and she felt a familiar feeling grow in her. Then Kevin's hand rose slowly and he formed a gun shape with his fingers before jerking his hand like a gun going off. Penelope's knee's weakened and she fell against Derek's firm hold, he'd seen the gesture and he was far from impressed.

'Let's get you out of here.'

'I guess I got closure.' She said tearfully as she sat back down, Derek and Rossi exchanged a look before Derek crouched in front of her. 'I don't love him at all; I want to see him rot in hell.'

'Well you will don't worry.' Derek kissed her and pulled away. 'You okay?'

'Yeah.' She replied and felt her shaking. 'No. I don't know.'

'Well let's get you home because if there's one thing I could love that man for, it's from stopping me from being a jackass and making you a permanent member of the team.'

'What?'

'You heard.' He told her and Rossi dangled her credentials in front of her. 'Bureau was so impressed with you and your somewhat undercover duties that they've promoted you and given us permission to have a relationship on guidelines it doesn't interfere.'

Penelope took the credentials and looked at them. 'For real?'

'For real, so I think it's time to get you home.' He told her and saw her hold his gaze. 'We're house hunting as soon as. We have time off, we can look all we want but I want you rested up before we go off out proper house hunting.' He saw her smile at him. 'That's what I love to see baby.' He said and kissed her one last time before he stood up and turned to walk towards the elevators.

He might have almost lost his solace and love of his life twice but she was all his now, no one else's and he was going to look after her the best he knew how and love her the way he knew to, the way she'd help teach him over the years.

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**The End!**

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_**A/N:**_ Another one done and dusted!! I hope you enjoyed!! Thanks for all the great reviews!! =)


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